Black Mustard

Black mustard is an annual weedy plant cultivated for its seeds, which are commonly used as a spice.

The seeds are commonly used in Indian cuisine, for example in curry it's called Rai . The seeds are usually thrown into hot oil or ghee after which they pop, releasing a characteristic 'nutty' flavor. The seeds have a significant amount of fatty oil. This oil is used often as cooking oil in India.

They are very flavorful, although they have almost no aroma.

The plant is believed to be native to the southern Mediterranean region of Europe, and has been cultivated for thousands of years.

Black mustard is similar to white mustard, although black mustard has smaller seeds. Black mustard belongs to the same genus as cabbage.